The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
'Do you know the muffin man?
The muffin man. the muffin man2'
THE MIsERIEs OF CHILDREN.

Mrs. Helen Campbell, who has been in
vestigsting the condition of poor working
people in New York, thus speaks of chill
dren who are forced to sew
For large proportion of the women
visited, among whom all forms of the
clothing industry were the occupat ion
children under ten, and more often from
four to eight, were valuable assistants.
In small room on Hester street, q wo-
man at work on overalls-for the max
ing of which she received one dollar a
dozen-said:
ST couldn't do as well if it wasn't for
jimmy and Name there. Name has learn
ed to sew on buttons first-rete, and jimmy
is just beginning to learn. I'm alone to-
day, but most days three of us sew to-
gether here; and jimmy keeps right along.
Well do better yet when Name gets bit
older"
AS she spoke, the door opened, and
woman with an enormous bundle Of over
alIs entered, and sat down on the nearest
chair, with gasp.
"Them stairs is killin'," she said. "Its
lucky I've not to climb 'em often"
Something crept forward as the bundle
slid to the floor, and busted itself with the
string that bound it.
"Hsre you, jimmy" said the woman,
"don't you be foolin.' What do you want
anyhow
The something shook back mat of
thick hair, and rose to it's feet,-a tiny
child, who in size seemed no more than
three, but whose countensnce indicated
the experience of three hundred.
"It's the string want" the small voice
said. Me and Name was goin' to play
with it,"
There's small time for play" said the
mother: "therell be two pair more in a
minute or two; and you're to see that
Name does one an does it good, too, or
I'll find out why not"
Name had come forward, and stood
holding to the one thin garment which
but partly covered Jinny's little bones
She, too, looked out from wild thatch Of
black hair, and with the same expression
of deep experience, the pallid, hungry lit
tie faces lighting suddenly as some cheap
cakes were produced. Both of them sat
down on the floor, and ate their portion
silently.
"Jinny's seven, and Names going on
six" said the mother; "but Jmny's the
smartest. She could sew on buttons
when she wasn't but much over four. l
had five then, but the Lords took 'em all
but these two. couldn't get on if it
wasn't for jimmy"
jimmy looked up, but said no word, and,
as left the room, settled herself with
her back against the wall, Name at her
side, laying the coveted string near at
hand for use if any minute for play ar
rived. In the next room, half lighted
like the last, and, if possible, even dirtier,
Jewish tailor sat at work on coat, and
by him on the floor child of five pick
ing threads from another.
Meta is good help" he said after a
HONu VI tWOs OO Aao1 90 AhA7H1 oAN
pick all the threads. She care not to go
sway,-she stay by me always to help"
ais she the only one?"
"But one that sells papers. Last year
is five, but mother and dree are gone with
fever. 1t is many that die. What will
You? 1t is the will Of God"
On the floor below, two children OF
seven and eight we're found also sewing
on buttons,-in this case four women who
had their machines in one room and were
making the cheapest order of corset Gov
or, for which they received fifty cents a
dozen, each one having five buttons. 1t
could not be called oppressive work; yet
the children were held there to be ready